Blacksmith&#39;s tongs.



T. H. HYDE. BLAGKSMITHS TONGS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 7, 1914.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

FIG.

HE NORRIS PETERS CO. I"

THOMAS H. HYDE, OF NEW KENSINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915..

Application filed April 7, 1914. Serial No. 830,277.

To all whom/it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs H. HYDE, a resident of New Kensington, in the county of Westmoreland and :State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Blacksmiths Tongs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to blacksmiths type of tongs for use in blacksmith shops, at forges, and similar uses.

The obj ectof the invention is to provide tongs for the purpose named by means of which work of various sizes and shapes can be handled without altering or changing the tongs; which will firmly grip and securely hold. every piece inserted between the jaws regardless of size or shape; by means of which the work can be held by the smith or workman with the exertion of much less strength than with the old style of tongs; and which are simple of construction and strong and durable in use. I

The invention comprises tongs constructed and arranged as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the improved tongs; Fig. 2 is an end view of the same; Fig. 8 is a bottom view thereof; Fig. 4 is a section on' the line 44 Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 Fig. 1.

The improved tongs are of the type or variety known as blacksmiths tongs, the same comprising a pair of reins or handles 1 and 2 pivotally connected at 3 and at their ends provided with jaws as is usual with blacksmith tongs.

One of the improvements resides in the character of jaws. As shown one of the jaws, to-wit:-jaw 4 is flat faced, while the jaw 5 is of angular or shape, being shown with the face portion arranged substantially at an angle of 90. This jaw member is wider than the flat faced jaw 4, so that it fits over the latter and enables a relatively small article to be grasped therebetween, such as the article indicated at 6. This form of aws engages the article on three lines of contact, t0-wit;at the points 7, 8 and 9, and therefore gives a very firm grasp on the article. One of the jaws also is hinged or swiveled to its rein upon a pivot or axis transverse or normal to the axis of the rein. As shown the jaw member 5 is pivoted to the rein 2 on the transverse pivot 10 so that it can accommodate itself to the work and enables it to grasp the piece along the entire length of the jaws irrespective of whether the piece is parallel sided, or tapered in another direction. 1 As a consequence, the piece being held cannot swing in the jaws, but is firmly and rigidly held. By reason of the three lines of contact the smith or other workman need not exert nearly as much .force as in the old type of tongs.

Another improvement consists in making one of the reins adjustable in its angular relation to the other, so that a single pair of tongs is adapted to handle pieces of various diameters, without undue strain or extension of the hand of the smith or workman. As shown, the rein 1 is solid or integral from end to end as usual, but rein 2 is made in two members or parts, to-wit;-the jaw member 2 secured by the pivot 3 to the rein 1 and the handle or rein member 2 these two members being hinged together, such as by the pivot 12, transverse to the axis of the rein, so that the angular relation of the handle member 2 toward and from the rein 1 can be altered. The member 2 is provided with a downward projection 13, while the rein member 2 is provided with a downward projection 14, which projections lie in the same plane and are adapted to contact when the rein member 2* is thrown downward (viewing Fig. 1) in opening the tongs. These two members are connected by means of a yoke or clip 15 of general U-shape and having its legs embracing the projections 13 and 14 and is secured to the member 2 by means of the pivot or rivet 16 and has its closed end embracing the projection 14 of member 2. The adjusting means comprises an ordinary winged screw 18 extending through a threaded opening in the closed end of the yoke or clip 15 and bearing against the outer face of the projections 14. Obviously, when the screw 18 is turned inwardly to itsfull extent the projection 14 is brought into contact with the projection 13 and consequently members 2* and 2 are held in alinement, and rigidly as a single member. By slacking up the screw 18 the projection 14 can move away from the proj ection 13 more or less, depending upon the extent to which screw 18 is slacked, thereby permitting the members 2 and 2 to assume a slight angle one to the other, and bringing the member 2 into closer relation to the aw 4 than when the screw 18 is screwed 1nwardly. When the tongs are to be used for holding a piece of small cross sectional size, the screw 18 is screwed inwardly, so that to bring the projection 14 into contact with or close to the projection 13 and increase the angular relation between the rein members 1 and 2 whereas, when a piece of larger cross section is to be held the screw 18 is slacked outwardly to decrease the angular relation between the rein members 2 and l as will be readily understood. In this way the tongs are adapted to hold pieces of va- "rious sizes without imposing an undue strain on the hands of the workman as with ordinary tongs, where a large piece is being held the smiths hand must be unduly extended. To take up the slack between the projections 13 and 14 when the screw 18 is backed out and to prevent rattling of the members, 'a compression spring 20 is inserted between the projections 13 and 14 so as to always hold the projections 14 against the end of the screw 18. This spring is housed within sockets 21 formed in the contacting faces of the projections 13 and 14.

One of the jaws, such as the jaw 4 is preferably provided with an abutment 22 which forms a stop to limit entrance of the piece between the jaws and which also forms an anvil against which the end of the piece may be upset when desired. This abutment takes the upsetting strain ofi from the pivot pin 3 and prevents any tendency to open the tongs when upsetting a piece held therein.

Bymeans of the tongs described, pieces of various sizes and shapes may be handled with equal facility by a single pair of tongs, thereby making it unnecessary in a blacksmith or forge shop to have as many pairs of tongs as are now carried in such shops. Moreover, each piece, no matter what its size or whether straight or tapered, will be firmly held, this being due in part to the swiveled connection of'one of the jaws with its rein and in part to the shape of the gripping face of the jaws, whereby a three point contact around the circumference of the piece being held is secured. As a consequence, the handles do not need to be gripped with as much strength as with the old form of tongs. Furthermore, the tool is strong, offers no difficulties in use, and

the parts are interchangeable, so that when a part becomes broken, it can be replaced without renewing the entire tool.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In tongs, the combination of a pair of reins pivotally connected together and each carrying a jaw, one of said reins being formed in two parts connected by a transverse pivot, and means arrangedto act upon projecting portions of said parts to adjust the angular relation of the members of said jointed rein.

2. In tongs, the combination of a pair of reins pivotally connected together and each carrying a jaw, one of said reins being formed in two parts connected by a transverse pivot, and a securing member to adjust the angular relation of the members of said jointed rein.

8. In tongs, the combination of a pair of reins pivotally connected together and each carrying a jaw, one of said reins being formed in two parts connected by a transverse pivot, adjustable means for varying the angular relation of the members of said jointed rein, and a spring compressible by said means between said jointed members for taking up the slack therebetween.

4. In tongs, the combination of a pair of reins pivotally connected together and each carrying a aw, one of said jaws being pivoted to its rein by a transverse pivot, and one of said reins being formed in two parts connected by a transverse pivot, and means acting upon projecting portions of said parts and adapted to adjust their relational position and thereby adjust the angular relation of the members of said jointed rein.

5. In tongs, the combination of a pair of reins pivotally connected together and each carrying a jaw, one of said reins being jointed, and means, comprising a screw, connecting the members of said jointed rein and arranged to adjust the angular relation of said members to any desired degree.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS H. HYDE. Witnesses:

ELBERT L. HYDE, WILLIAM B. WHARTON.

Copies of this patent may bevobtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

